Priest
It is faith in ourselves that separates us from others, and with our powers, we will cause great change in all of Azeroth. The weak will come to lean on you. The lepers will call you Lord. And the ignorant will look to you for guidance. — Dark Cleric Duesten Bend down over her falling ally, a dwarf clutches her holy symbol, and begins to sing a slow melodic tune, holy light shining from her hand, covering her allies limp body. Kneeling on the ground, one hand firmly grasping a staff, the other filled with swirls of divine and necrotic energies. A human raises, and sends out a thick halo of light and dark energy out around him, his allies gaining new life, his enemies feeling the rush of necrotic through their bodies. A forsaken, surrounded in voidic energy pulls his holy symbol from his neck as void covers his body. Tentacles sprouting from his back, as he sends out a laughter, spew-ing bolts of necrotic energy towards enemies and allies. Priests are the bridge between light and dark, they are the wielders of the warmth holy light of the divine, and the voidic magic granted by the old gods. They serve as protectors, healers, and casters of insanity. Invokers of Light and Darkness Priests are devoted to the spiritual, and express their unwavering faith by serving the people. For millennia they have left behind the confines of their temples and the comfort of their shrines so they can support their allies in war-torn lands. In the midst of terrible conflict, no hero questions the value of the priestly orders. These masters of the healing arts keep their companions fighting far beyond their normal capacities with an array of restorative powers and blessings. The divine forces at the priest’s command can also be turned against foes. As light cannot exist without darkness, and darkness without light, some priests tap into shadow to better understand their own abilities, as well as the abilities of those who threaten them. Devoted Acolytes Priests practice a complex, organized form of spirituality built around moral philosophy, the worship of a particular deity (such as Elune) in some cases, and/or idol worship, rather than around the reverence of the elements that shamans practice, or the close divine connection with animals and the wilderness that druids maintain. Priests serve not only as influential religious figures in their respective societies, but also as powerful practitioners of divine magic, which they use to heal and protect, or harm and weaken. Devotion to the faiths of Azeroth leads many priests to the paths of courage and heroism. In dark times, priests carry the Light of faith with them as a reminder of the powerful forces at work beyond the comprehension of the peoples who walk the land. Powerful healers with an intimate connection to the divine, priests are empowered with abilities that aid them in times of dire need. 'Creating a Priest' Like paladins, the most important aspect of a priest character is the nature of their holy quest. Are you a devoted servant of good, loyal to the holy light? A disciplined priest, in beautiful robes, monitoring a sept? Or are you an unholy priest of shadows, fallen either by choice or forcefully towards the necrotic arts? How did you enter priesthood? Were you raised in a monastry? Did you hear a whisper from the light itself telling you to serve it? Or did a terrible war force you to take up the warmth of the holy light to assist your allies? Perhaps you might have known from your earliest memories that the priest's life was your calling, almost as if you had been sent into the world with that purpose stamped on your soul. As guardians against forces of wickedness and evil, priests are rarely of any evil alignment. Most of them walk the paths of charity and soothing, or did you never feel the warmth of the holy light, and instead felt the calling of the old gods? Their voidic magic wrapping around you, making your actions chaotic? 'Quick Build' You can make a priest quickly by following these suggestions. First. Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. 'Class Features' As a priest, you gain the following class features. 'Hit Points' * Hit Dice: 1d6 per priest level * Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier * Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 + your Constitution modifier per priest level after 1st Proficiencies * Armor: None * Weapons: Simple weapons * Tools: None * Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma * Skills: Choose two from History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: * (a) a mace or (b) a quarterstaff * (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon * (a) a priest's pack or (b) an explorer's pack * a holy symbol Spellcasting As a conduit for divine power. you can cast priest spells. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 6 of this book for the priest spell list. Cantrips At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from the priest spell list. You learn additional priest cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Priest table. Preparing and Casting Spells The Priest table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. You prepare the list of priest spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the priest spell list. When you do so, choose a number of priest spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + your priest level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you are a 3rd-level priest, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Wisdom of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell *flash heal*, you can cast it using a 1st-level or 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of priest spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list. Spellcasting Ability Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your priest spells. The power of your spells comes from the light. You use your Wisdom whenever a priest spell refers to your spell-casting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a priest spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier Ritual Casting You can cast a priest spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared. Spellcasting Focus You can use a holy symbol as a spellcasting focus for your priest spells. Priesthood Choose a priesthood: Discipline, Holy, or Shadow. Each priesthood is detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you spells and other features when you choose it at 1st level. It also grants you additional ways to use Channel Divinity when you gain that feature at 2nd level, and additional benefits at 6th, 8th, and 17th levels. Priesthood Spells Each priesthood has a list of spells that you gain at the priest levels noted in the priesthood description. Once you gain a priesthood spell, you always have it pre-pared, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you have a priesthood spell that doesn't appear on the priest spell list, the spell is considered a priest spell for you. Unarmored Defense While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit. Channel Divinity At 2nd level, you gain the ability to channel divine energy directly from the holy light, using that energy to fuel magical effects. You start with two such effects: Shackle Undead and an effect determined by your priesthood. When you use your Channel Divinity, you choose which effect to create. You must then finish a short or long rest to use your Channel Divinity again. Some Channel Divinity effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your priest spell save DC. Beginning at 6th level, you can use your Channel Divinity twice between rests, and beginning at 18th level, you can use it three times between rests. When you finish a short or long rest, you regain your expended uses. Channel Divinity: Shackle Undead As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer censuring the undead. Each undead that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is shackled for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. A shackled creature is considered restrained and stunned until the shackles are broken. While shackled an undead can make a new saving throw at the end of its turn to end the stunned effect on itself. The restrained condition can only be broken if the undead takes any damage, or 1 minute passes. Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Destroy Undead Starting at 5th level, when an undead fails its saving throw against your Shackle Undead feature, the creature is instantly destroyed if its challenge rating is at or below a certain threshold, as shown in the Destroy Undead table. Destroy Undead | Priest Level | Destroys Undead of CR . . . | |:----:|:-------------| | 5th | 1/2 or lower | | 8th | 1 or lower | | 11th | 2 or lower | | 14th | 3 or lower | | 17th | 4 or lower | Divine Intervention Beginning at 10th level, you can call on the Holy Light to intervene on your behalf when your need is great. Imploring its aid requires you to use your action. Describe the assistance you seek, and roll percentile dice. If you roll a number equal to or lower than your priest level, the Holy Light intervenes. The DM chooses the nature of the intervention; the effect of any priest spell or priesthood spell would be appropriate. If it intervene, you can't use this feature again for 7 days. Otherwise, you can use it again after you finish a long rest. At 20th level, your call for intervention succeeds automatically, no roll required. Priesthood As a priest, you choose one aspect of priesthood to emphasize, and you are granted powers related to that purpose. Your choice might correspond to a particular sect dedicated to branch of priesthood. Your choice of priest-hood could simply be a matter of personal preference, the aspect of the purpose that appeals to you most. Discipline Priesthood These priests understand that light casts a shadow, that darkness is defined by light, and that true discipline stems from one’s ability to balance these opposing powers in services of a greater cause. While they poss many holy virtues to aid their allies, they also dabble in the dark arts to debilitate their enemies. Discipline Priesthood Spells | Priest Level | Spells | |:---:|:------------------------------| | 1st | cure wounds, inflict wounds | | 3rd | darkness, spiritual weapon | | 5th | animate dead, vampiric touch | | 7th | death ward, guardian of faith | | 9th | contagion, raise dead | Shadow Mending When you choose this priesthood at 1st level, you are able to manipulate shadow magic into aiding allies. When you would normally roll one or more dice to restore hit points with a spell to a creature at 0 hit points, you instead use the highest number possible for each die rolled. In addition, you learn the *spare the dying* cantrip, which doesn't count against the number of priest cantrips you know. For you, it has a range of 30 feet, and you can cast it as a bonus action. Channel Divinity: Halo Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to burst out an expanding ring of radiant and necrotic force. As an action, you present your holy symbol and evoke a ring of energy that can heal your allies and harm your enemies for a number of hit points equal to four times your priest level. Choose any creatures within 30 feet of you, and divide those hit points among them, choosing for each target if you wish to restore hit points, or deal necrotic damage to them. This feature can restore a creature to no more than half of its hit point maximum. You can't use this feature to heal an undead or construct. Channel Divinity: Atonement Beginning at 6th level, you can use your Channel Divinity to atone an ally, amending their failure. When a creature within 30 feet of you makes an attack roll, you can use your reaction to grant that creature a +10 bonus to the roll. You can use this feature after you see the attack roll, but before the DM says whether the attack hits or misses its target. Potent Spellcasting Starting at 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any priest cantrip. Pain Suppression Upon reaching 17th level, you gain resistance to two damage types of your choice, choosing from bludgeoning, necrotic, piercing, radiant, and slashing. Whenever you finish a short or long rests, you can change the damage types you chose. As an action, you can give up this resistance and transfer it to one creature you touch. The creature keeps the resis-tance until the end of your next short or long rest or until you transfer it back to yourself as a bonus action. Holy Priesthood These priests leave their houses of worship to serve on the battlefield, as shepherd to flock. There, they use their holy powers to bless allies and mend wounds. Whilst most stay behind the frontlines to aid their comrades, these holy champions are also capable of smiting foes and carrying out sacred justice. Holy Priesthood Spells | Priest Level | Spells | |:---:|:-------------------------------------| | 1st | bless, cure wounds | | 3rd | lesser restoration, spiritual weapon | | 5th | beacon of hope, revivify | | 7th | death ward, guardian of faith | | 9th | mass cure wounds, raise dead | Bonus Cantrip When you choose this priesthood at 1st level, you gain the *virtue* cantrip if you don't already know it. Echoes of Life At 1st level, whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell's level. Channel Divinity: Prayer of Healing Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to heal those that are badly injured. As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer, evoking healing energy. Choose any creature within 30 feet of you, healing each creature for a number of hit points equal to your priest level + your Wisdom modifier. You can't use this feature on an undead or a construct. Blessed Healer Beginning at 6th level, the healing spells you cast on others can heal you as well. When you cast a spell with a spell slot and it restores hit points to any creature other than you this turn, you regain hit points equal to 2 + the spell's level. Leap of Faith Starting at 8th level, you can use holy energy to pull a target towards you. As a bonus action, choose a creature within 60 feet of you, pulling the creature to an empty square within 5 feet of you, doing so does not provoke attacks of opportunity on the pulled target. A creature can make a Strength saving throw to prevent being pulled to your side. On a successful save, the creature isn't pulled towards you. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended usses when you finish a short or long rest. Guardian Spirit Upon reaching 17th level, you can call upon a guardian to immediately guide a fallen allies spirit back to their body. As a reaction upon an ally dying, you can call upon a guardian spirit, immediately resurrecting the ally, and heal-ing them for twice your priest level. The resurrected ally gains immunity towards all damage until the beginning of their next turn. Once you have used this feature, you can't use it again until you have finished a long rest. Shadow Priesthood These priests fully embrace the void and its magics, their faith equal to their holy counterparts, yet focused on dark magics and mental manipulation. They dedicate their lives to worship, but they derive their power from the Void, stray-ing dangerously close to the domain of the Old Gods. Shadow Priesthood Spells | Priest Level | Spells | |:---:|:----------------------------------| | 1st | arms of hadar, hex | | 3rd | mind blast, phantasmal force | | 5th | fear, hunger of hadar | | 7th | black Tentacle, phantasmal Killer | | 9th | negative energy flood, wall of Force | Bonus Proficiency When you choose this priesthood at 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons. Legacy of the Void Also at 1st level, learn one necromancy cantrip of your choice from any spell list. When you cast a necromancy cantrip that normally targets only one creature, the spell can instead target two creatures within range and within 5 feet of each other. Channel Divinity: Submit to Madness Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to surrender to the madness of the Old Gods. As an action, you invoke your holy symbol with necrotic energy, covering your body in void. For the duration of the channel divinity, you add twice your Wisdom modifier to your Armor Class, and you use your reaction to give attacks roll against you disadvantage, shifting your voidic shape. In addition, when you would normally roll one or more dice to damage a target with a spell, you instead use the highest number possible for each die. For example, instead of dealing 2d6 hit points, you damage the creature for 12. This channel divinity lasts for 1 minute, and does not require your concentration. When the channel divinity ends, you must make a Constitution saving throw against your own spell save DC. Taking half your maximum health in psychic damage on a failed save, and half as much on a successful one. This damage ignores temporary hit points, resistances and im-munities. If the damage brings you below 0 hit points, you immediately become stable. Unseen Recovery Beginning at 6th level, you start to feel the influence of the old gods. Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half your priest level (rounded up), and non of the slots can be of 6th level or higher. For example, if you're a 4th-level priest, you can recover up to two levels worth of spell slots. You can recover either a 2nd-level spell slot, or two 1st-level spell slots. Shadowy Embrace Starting at 8th level, you have resistance to necrotic damage, and your hit point maximum can't be reduced. You have spent so much time dealing with shadow magic and meddling with the void that you have become inured to some of their worst effects. Improved Legacy of the Void Upon reaching 17th level, when you cast a necromancy spell of 1st through 5th-level that targets only one creature, the spell can instead target two creatures within range and within 5 feet of each other. If the spell consumes its mate-rial components, you must provide them for each target.